‘Terrorism no longer centered on J&K’
Don’t be complacent, PM to security forces

NEW DELHI, Nov 23: Warning that the terror threat has spread beyond Jammu and Kashmir, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today asked the security forces not to be complacent and adapt to "new requirements".

"Our Government is determined to fight and root out terrorism and its ideologies that justify and seek to sustain it," Singh said in his address to the country’s top police brass, who have gathered for a three-day conference on Directors General and Inspectors General.

The Prime Minister’s remarks came a day after Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil spoke of terror threats to country’s vital installations.

Asking the security forces to counter the challenge of terrorism "comprehensively", the Prime Minister said "no religion sanctions the killing of innocent citizens. We need a firm response from our security forces. We also need a resolute response from civil society and all our political parties."

He said terror in the country was no longer centered on the State of Jammu and Kashmir. "Attempts to take this threat to other parts of the country to create fear in the minds of our people are in evidence.

"By and large these attempts have remained unsuccessful...But there is no scope for complacency. Our security apparatus must be alert and resilient enough to meet the grave threats posed by terrorism to our polity and society," he said.

The Prime Minister said "positive developments" witnessed in Jammu and Kashmir had generated the hope that political solutions can be found to address public grievances.

"To allow the political process to take the desired direction in J&K, it is imperative that the level of violence is brought down significantly. This requires strong will and determination to sustain the anti-militancy effort," Singh said.

About northeast, he said "while we are committed to the process of peaceful dialogue to resolve overwhelming problems, the Government will not countenance the deliberate use of violence against innocent citizens."

Referring to the naxalite problem, the Prime Minister highlighted the need for faster development of naxal-affected areas, and for a responsive, transparent and sensitive administrative machinery.

"We need a greater focus on employment generation, land reforms, redistribution of land, better education and health facilities, backed up by firm police action wherever needed," Singh said.

Speaking about the role of police in modern India, he said "if the police have to fulfill their mandated role in these changing times, they need to adapt themselves to new requirements.

"There is a need for the police machinery at the grassroots level to become more responsive to earn the trust of law abiding people. The nation needs a modern, capable and friendly police. We need a police service that is more gender sensitive, more humane and more respectful of the rights of citizens," he said.

The Prime Minister also stressed the need for a better intelligence gathering mechanism. "We need to improve our capabilities both in respect of human intelligence and technical facilities as an aid to intelligence gathering.

Singh said the training institutes must operate on the frontiers of human knowledge to cope with the challenges now on the horizon.

"There is also a need for better coordination between the Centre and States and among states themselves be it in intelligence sharing or for joint operations," he said.

Speaking about the police mission and the recent supreme court order on police reforms, he said "we need to act, and act fast, so that we have a first rate police force - a more skilled, competent, effective, just and humane police force."

The Prime Minister said he was conscious of the difficult environment in which the police, intelligence and security agencies had to work in todays world. "The single most important challenge in todays world is the management of change."

Singh said the rapid urbanization posed unique challenges because of the breakdown of traditional social orders which restrain unlawful action.

".....These challenges need resolution within the framework of our liberal democratic polity. This is the challenge we need to face," the Prime Minister said.

Earlier, the Prime Minister presented President’s Police Medal for distinguished service to some of the Intelligence Bureau officials at the three-day conference, which will conclude tomorrow. (PTI)

Afzal hanging issue rocks Parliament
*Both Houses adjourned

NEW DELHI, Nov 23: The issue of hanging of Parliament attack convict Mohammad Afzal Guru today rocked both Houses of Parliament after slogan-chanting BJP-Shiv Sena members trooped into their wells demanding that he be sent to the gallows without any delay and mercy.

The Samajwadi Party members also raised slogans and entered the wells of both Houses, but on a different issue — accusing the Congress-led UP Government at the Centre of attempting to oust the Mulayam Singh Yadav Government in Uttar Pradesh and demanding the release of Abu Azmi, who was arrested in Mumbai for staging a rally despite ban orders.

As the Lok Sabha assembled for taking up question hour, the BJP-Shiv Sena members leapt to their feet, waving placards, newspapers clippings and chanting slogans ‘Afzal Ko Faansi Do (hang Afzal!), accusing the Government of being soft towards the minority.

Failing to restore order, Speaker Somnath Chatterjee first adjourned the House till 1115 hrs, but when the House re-assembled the BJP-Shiv Sena combine and the SP members again entered the well, creating pandemonium following which the chair once again adjourned it till 1400 hrs.

Meanwhile, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned for an hour and later for the day as the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members created uproarious scenes in the House for the "delay" in carrying out the death sentence to Mohammad Afzal.

BJP leaders Sushma Swaraj, S S Ahluwalia and Rudra Narain Pani spearheaded the attack on the Government for the delay in hanging the main accused for the attack against Parliament.

Amid the din, Samajwadi Party members Shahid Siddiqui and Amar Singh also alleged that the Centre was planning to destabilise the Mulayam Singh Government in Uttar Pradesh on the law and order issue which they claimed was "perfect". They were also seeking the release of Mr Azmi.

Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekhawat first adjourned the House till 1200 hrs, but when it re-assembled Deputy Chairman Rahman Khan adjourned it till tomorrow.

Earlier, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh introduced to the House newly inducted ministers in his cabinet — Minister of Defence A K Antony, Minister of State for Water Resources Jai Prakash Yadav and Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting M H Ambareesh.

The Chairman also mourned the death of former member Bhanu Pratap Singh. (UNI)

Non-state subjects being barred from bidding; Process put on hold
Dilawar buckles under Oppn tirade on land auction

From Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Nov 23: With the entire mainstream as well as separatist Opposition---from National Conference to both factions of Hurriyat Conference and Hizbul Mujahideen to Lashkar-e-Toiba---joining hands to defeat the coalition government's plan of setting up joint ventures in Tourism sector, Minister of Tourism Mohammad Dilawar Mir today put the entire process of auction of land on hold. While asserting that the non-state subjects would neither be allowed to participate in the auction nor entitled to any kind of lease, Mir declared that the process would be re-examined and a Government Order issued by Secretary Tourism would be modified to allay the apprehensions of the people of Kashmir.

Addressing a specially organised news conference, Minister of Tourism Dilawar Mir, who is a representative of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed's Peoples Democratic Party in the Congress-led coalition government, sought to make it clear no piece of land would be allotted or leased out to any non-state subject at Gulmarg or any other tourist spot in Jammu and Kashmir. He said that late last month, the state Government had taken a decision in a Cabinet meeting to promote establishing of tourism-related infrastructure by allowing joint ventures in hotel industry at Gulmarg. He said that for this particular purpose, the Government identified 550 Kanals of land at Leopard Valley (Dhobi Ghat), in Gulmarg area and it was decided to auction the same on lease basis.

Mir said that in follow up to the Cabinet decision 220/13 dated 16-10-2006, Secretary to Government, Department of Tourism, issued Government Order No: 265-TSM of 2006 dated 23-10-2006, whereby sanction was accorded to auction of the identified land and a 5-member committee, headed by DDC Baramulla, was constituted to conduct the process of auction. He said that the Government Order also accorded sanction to grant of permission to the allotees of such land to enter into joint ventures with non-permanent residents and companies.

Minister made it emphatically clear that the joint ventures would remain strictly restricted to superstructures and the non-permanent residents or companies would not create any interest in the land. He read out text of the Government Order in which it has been made repeatedly clear that the auction of land would be only "in favour of permanent residents of the State". Mir asserted that the NC Government headed by late Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah had made Land Grants Act whereby allotment of land to non-state subjects on lease basis was fully legal in Jammu and Kashmir. "Our Government did, in fact, defeat the provision of Land Grants Act and kept it restricted to only the state subjects. I fail to understand why this huge hullabaloo on this auction", Mir asserted. He said that his Government was not going to allow the non-state subjects to even procure the documents for the auction.

Mir claimed that it was none other than the NC Government that allotted 100 Kanals of land on Maulana Azad Road to the non-state subject promoters of Nedou's Hotel besides 400 Kanals of land to the non-state subject owners of Batra Hospital in Jammu at the nominal premium of Re 1.00 per Kanal per year. According to him, NC's Government had also allotted land to non-state subjects at Gulmarg and other places in the state. "It's strange that Omar Abdullah has called our plan as Delhi's agenda at a party rally in Handwara yesterday. Those living in castles of glass should not throw stones on others", Mir said for the NC chief and challenged him publicly to come forward for a debate on this subject on television or in the Press.

Mir announced that he would not only forfeit his right to function as a Minister but would also take permanent retirement from politics if anybody proved that he or his Government had taken a decision contrary to the interests of the Kashmiris.

However, the journalists pushed the Minister to corner when they read out the text of Government Order No: 266-TSM of 2006 dated 23-10-2006, issued again by Secretary to Government, Department of Tourism, minutes after the Government No: 265-TSM of 2006 was issued on October 23, 2006. It accords sanction to the "Appointment of the Administrative Secretary to Government (Tourism) as the prescribed authority for purpose of authenticating the sanction/grant of land by the Government in favour of any person who is not a permanent resident of the State". As the journalists insisted that he was lying and repeatedly sought a clarification from the Minister as to why another Government Order had been issued to include non-state subjects, he landed in a quagmire of controversy and embarrassment.

In response to sustained interrogation from journalists, Mir announced that he would put the entire exercise of auction on hold and the Cabinet would be approached for making necessary amendments. "Look, I have to live here. Anything that runs contrary to the interests of the Kashmiris will be got deleted", Mir grumbled. He, however, did not make it clear whether the inclusion of non-state subjects had been sanctioned by the Cabinet or it was an insertion by Minister of Tourism and Secretary Tourism.

Facing embarrassment over Government Order No: 366, supposedly approved by himself, Dilawar Mir later pulled up his officials for putting him "in the trap". He immediately contacted Srinagar Doordarshan authorities only to cancel the panel discussion on the subject for which he had earlier pressed hard and called the DD authorities to his Rawalpora residence. On the other hand, NC called an urgent news conference which would be addressed in the forenoon on Friday by stalwarts like Abdur Rahim Rather at the party headquarters.

Meanwhile, almost all the mainstream and separatist Opposition parties, including NC, Syed Ali Shah Geelani's faction of Hurriyat Conference and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq's faction of Hurriyat Conference, are making all-out efforts to ensure a complete shutdown in Valley on November 25th against the coalition Government's plans of auctioning the land at Gulmarg and other places. Call for the shutdown had been initially given by Mr Geelani and later supported by Hizbul Mujahideen, Dukhtaraan-e-Millat and now NC and Lashkar-e-Toiba. In a statement this evening, Lashkar spokesman, Dr Abdullah Gaznavi, implored the people of Kashmir to make Geelani's call a total success. He even warned "all non-state subjects" to stay away from Kashmir.

Create atmosphere of trust: Farooq
Ensure democracy in PoK before self-rule: Saran

NEW DELHI, Nov 23: Pakistan will have to ensure democracy to the grass-root level in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK), Gilgit and Baltistan before it spells out any idea of self-rule for discussion on Jammu and Kashmir, former Foreign Secretary Shayam Saran has said.

"We have spoken about self-governance. For us self-governance is something which means that there should be representative institutions. There should be institutions which reflect the concerns and aspirations of people," Saran, who is at present Prime Minister’s Special Envoy on US nuclear deal, said last night at book release function — "a J&K primer" by columnist B G Verghese.

"On one side of the Line of Control (Jammu and Kashmir), we believe that such an institution exists. There is an elected Assembly....We will hope that there are similar representative entities on the Pakistani side of the LoC including Gilgit and Baltistan.

Saran, who was giving a broad outline of the India’s approach on the Kashmir issue at the function, said "we need to hear from Pakistan what are the kind of steps that would be taken with regard to creation of such institutions."

Saran said during talks with Pakistan, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh clearly spelt out that he did not have the mandate to alter the boundaries but he had the mandate to make these boundaries irrelevant.

"So our approach to the issue of Jammu and Kashmir is that this is part and parcel of the larger search for peace and friendship between the two countries...Our ability to take this dialogue process in a positive direction is very much related to the creating of an atmosphere which is free of violence," Saran added.

The former Foreign Secretary said there were "sections" in the Pakistani establishment who support extremism in Jammu and Kashmir.

"These create a sense that all that needs to be done is that terrorism needs to be curbed....We say this in a constructive spirit, in a spirit of friendship because we really do not wish this to be a question mark which hangs over the peace process. For us this is a critical issue," Saran said.

He said India was not in favour of proposals like the joint management or control of the State but would like to see democracy flourish in the other part of Kashmir as well so that the representatives from the two sides could meet and look for areas of mutual interests including trade, environment and tourism.

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, who was also present at the function, asked the Centre to create an atmosphere of trust with the people of the State to solve the protracted Kashmir issue, while blaming people with "vested interests" in spreading the "mistrust".

Senior PDP leader Muzaffar Hussain Baig blamed politicians in the Valley for not working together to solve the issue. "We have not evolved a national policy...A concensus of parties on what we want from the Centre."

About the Human Rights problem in the State, Abdullah said "we are waiting for the promise by the Prime Minister that there will be zero tolerance for Human Rights Violations." (PTI)

22 AEEs promoted, 48 X-Ens adjusted

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 23: The Government today promoted 22 Assistant Executive Engineers (AEEs) as incharge Executive Engineers (Xens) while 48 Executive Engineers (Civil) have been adjusted and transferred in the Roads and Buildings Department.

Those promoted as incharge Executive Engineers include: Omar Farooq, Bachan Lal, Bashir Ahmed, Ravinder Kumar Gupta, Ashwani Kumar Gabgotra, Raman Puri, Ashok Kumar Koul, K K Dhar, Santokh Singh, Kushal Chand, Abdul Majid Hakeem, Abdul Wahid Khan, Mohd Yaseen Dar, Rayaz Ahmed Shah, Bashir Ahmed, Mohd Gani Ahmed, Qazi Khalid Mohammed, Farooq Ahmed Shah, Rafi Ahmed Khan, Mohd Ashraf Zonga, Kuldeep Kumar Razdan and Abdul Majid Khan.

Consequent upon these promotions, the Government issued orders of adjustment, postings and transfers of 48 Executive Engineers and incharge Executive Engineers in the Road and Buildings Department.

Bimal Kumar Tickoo (Xen) has been transferred from Estates Division Jammu to PMGSY, Jammu, Gurdeep Singh from SKIMS to PMGSY Division Udhampur-II, C S Rana from JKPCC to PMGSY Div Doda -II, Ravi Gupta from R&B Div Katra to PMGSY Division, Udhampur-I, Ravinder Kumar Gupta (promotee) to PMGSY Division Kathua, R S Sudan to Estates Division IV Jammu. He will also hold the charge of Division in Relief Organisation.

Farooq Ahmed Indrabi has been shifted from Srinagar Development Authority to Project Circle Division Ist Srinagar, G A Khan from Sericulture department to Construction Div Ist Srinagar, Shabir Ahmed Shah from R&B Div Pulwama to Floriculture Department, M M Gupta from Tourism Department to R&B Div- IV Jammu vice R S Sudan, Mohd Jamal Parray from City Roads Div Srinagar to PMGSY Div Kupwara, Rafi Ahmed Khan to City Roads Division Srinagar, Abdul Rashid Teli from Spl Sub Div to Right River Circular Road Div Srinagar, Farooq Ahmed Sofi from LRCD Srinagar to Gulmarg Development Authority vice Parvez Ahmed Naqash who has been sent to JKPCC Unit-VI Srinagar.

Raman Puri, promotee has been posted in PMGSY Div Rajouri, Santokh Singh (promotee) to PMGSY Poonch, Isher Singh from R&B Div Shopian to R&B Div Kupwara, Abdul Majid Hakeem to R&B Div Shopian, Syed Afzal Shah from Handwara R&B Div to PMGSY Div Baramulla, Mohd Amin Bhat from R&B Div Qazigund to R&B Div Handwara, Manzoor Ahmed Mattoo from R&B Div Baramulla to R&B Div Qazigund, Abdul Khaliq Malla from Constt Div Ist Sgr to PMGSY Div Pulwama, Ishfaq Ahmed Zargar from R&B Div Kupwara to R&B Div Baramulla, Bashir Ahmed Illahi to Spl Sub Div Tangdhar, Zafar Iqbal Pampori RRCR Div Srinagar to R&B Div Pulwama, Mohd Yaseen Dar to Truck Terminal Div Srinagar, Umer Farooq to Spl SD Uri, Bashir Ahmed to LRCR Div Sgr while K K Razdan has been attached with CE R&B Jammu.

Abdul Wahid has been posted to PMGSY Div Doda-I, Khushal Chand to Rajouri Development Authority, SP Gupta from ERA to R&B Div Katra, T K Sadhu from J&K Housing Board to Tourism Deptt vice MM Gupta, K K Sharma to JKPCC vice Mr Wattal, Abdul Majid Khan to PMGSY Div Srinagar/ Budgam, Farooq Ahmed PMGSY Div Anantnag, Qazi Khalid Mohd to Srinagar Development Authority, Ashok Kumar to Design Inspection and Quality Control, K K Dhar sent to ERA, Bachan Lal attached with CE R&B Jammu, Reyaz Ahmed Shah to SKIMS, Mohd Gani Ahmed to Landscape Div Srinagar, Mohd Ashraf to Doodpathri-Yusmarg Development Authority, A K Koul to ERA, V K Sharma from Design,Insp & Quality Control to REW Jammu while Ashwani Kumar Gabgotra and B A Ganai have been attached with the Chief Engineer R&B Jammu till further orders.

Billa sent to JIC, SIT being re-constituted
CBI officially refuses to takeover Chopra case

By Sanjeev Pargal

JAMMU, Nov 23: The Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) has officially refused to take over investigations in the murder case of cement tycoon Rajinder Bushan Chopra alias Raju Chopra and four others including his wife and daughter in Chopra’s Trikuta Nagar house on September 17 night.

In an official communication to the Government, which had asked the CBI to take over investigations in the case in a cabinet meeting on September 20, three days after sensational killings took place, the premier investigating agency has declined to take over the case.

"The case is not of national or international importance. Therefore, we are unable to take over the case", the CBI communication, which was received by the Government today after more than two months of the cabinet request to take over the case, said.

During last over two months, there had been no communication from the CBI whether it intended to take over investigations in the case or not.

However, Jammu Police, despite a CBI probe ordered by the Cabinet, continued its investigations but, according to senior police officers, the Special Investigating Team (SIT), working on the killings will be re-constituted now on the return of Director General of Police (DGP) from New Delhi where he had gone to attend a meeting of all state police chiefs of the country.

The re-constituted SIT will have only one task of investigating the killings.

Re-constitution of the team has been necessitated as Additional DG (CID) Kuldeep Khuda has refused to spare DySP CID Shamsher Singh Parihar for investigations. Mr Parihar was nominated as a member of investigating team by the DGP along with Abdul Rouf Lone, DySP Railways and DySP Sajjad Bhat. The team was headed by IPS officer Atul Goel under overall supervision of SSP Jammu Mukesh Singh. It also comprised DySP East Mamata Sharma and SHO Trikuta Nagar Inspector Purshotam Mengi under whose jurisdiction the murders took place.

In a communication to the DGP, Mr Khuda is reported to have said that Mr Parihar can’t be spared as he was busy with Intelligence related work. It may be recalled that Mr Parihar’s services were sought by Jammu Police in view of his experience in working out blind murder cases including killings of a couple at Trikuta Nagar (parents of PGI Medical Superintendent Dr Anil Gupta) in 2001, which were solved within a week. One of the accused was later sentenced to death by the court.

Initially, Jammu Police had set up a 21 member team for investigations in the case and announced a cash reward of Rs one lakh for any person giving a clue in the murder case. Composition of the team was changed within three days of the murder when State Government attached SP City (South) Sheikh Mehmood, who was heading the team and placed under suspension SHO Trikuta Nagar Inspector Mohd Rafiq, who was main investigating officer. Inspector Rafiq’s successor Inspector Purshotam Mengi was included in the team.

Later, Jammu Police took assistance of three former SHOs of Trikuta Nagar police station including Mr Parihar, Sawtantar Arora, DySP (Special Branch) CID and Pritam Singh Jamwal, DySP (Special Branch), Jammu Police in unofficial capacity.

The team was again constituted in official capacity by the DGP last month which was headed by Atul Goel, IPS and supervised by Mukesh Singh and comprised Mr Parihar, Rouf Lone, Sajjad Bhat and Mamata Sharma, DySP and Purshotam Mengi, Inspector.

According to sources, composition of the team will be changed once again on the arrival of the DGP as it has now become clear that CBI will not take over the case as also the CID’s refusal to spare Mr Parihar for the case.

Meanwhile, for the first time, the investigating team has sent a person arrested in connection with Raju Chopra murder case to Joint Interrogation Centre (JIC).

Pritam Singh alias Billa, a resident of Chatha and a former partner of Chopra in loading/unloading business at Railway Station, was sent to JIC this morning after sustained questioning at ‘Safe House’ at Bhatindi from where the Investigating team was operating.

Hitherto, the Special Investigating Team (SIT) had been questioning suspects including former partners, relatives and contractors besides other suspects on its own. Billa is the first person to be sent to JIC for sustained questioning, sources said.

Raju Chopra, his wife Madhu Chopra and daughter Saloni Chopra besides their servant and driver were mercilessly killed by unidentified criminals in their house on September 17 night.

On Tuesday, Chopra’s two sons, Puneet and Rohit, who were in Australia on the day of killings, held a press conference at their residence demanding handing over of investigations of the case to the CBI. They had also talked of hiring private detectives saying police was working under ‘political pressure’ as it hadn’t been able to gather clues even after more than two months of the killings.

3 top ultras killed in Doda

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 23: Police today gunned down three top Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militants in an encounter at Hunzar, Dachan under the jurisdiction of Marwah police station in Doda district.

SSP Doda Manohar Singh, who led the successful operation against militants, said a police team from Panchdhara and Nant Nullah pickets in Marwah area launched a search operation at village Hunzar in upper reaches of Dachan in Doda district after developing an information that three top Lashkar militants had taken shelter in the area.

The militants were moving towards plains from upper reaches when they were trapped by a police party.

The operation was supervised by DIG Udhampur-Doda range Lalat Indu Mohanty.

A heavy exchange of firing between militants and police personnel continued throughout the day today. Late in the evening, all three militants were killed, sources said, adding police didn’t suffer any casualties in the operation.

Bodies of the militants have been recovered from the spot. They have been identified as Mudasir (code name Hanzla), Mohd Irfan (code name Abu Sohail), both residents of Pati Mahal and Mohd Ismail (code name Umer), a resident of Gujjar Kothan, Dachan,

Recoveries made from their possession include two AK rifles, four AK magazines, one hand grenades, one radio set, one pouch and some incriminating documents.

Slain militants were involved in a series of militant activities in Marwah-Dachan belt of Doda including attacks on security forces. They were operating Doda for last three to four years. Their killing was a big setback to Lashkar-e-Toiba outfit, sources said.

Meanwhile, security forces and police today recovered arms and ammunition from hide-outs in Poonch and Doda districts and arrested one suspect.

One AK-56 rifle with one magazine and 19 rounds, one 9mm Chinese pistol with one magazine and two rounds were recovered from Kalash Mohalla in Surankote tehsil in Poonch district.

A suspect was arrested by security forces from Akramabad in Doda along with one hand grenade. He has been sent for questioning.

From under a boulder at Kanderu, Doda, security forces recovered one magazine each of AK and SLR, 53 AK rounds, two UBGL grenades and one binocular.

Four RP rockets and 70 AK rounds were recovered by the security personnel from village Sewa in Doda district. However, no arrests were made from the hide-out.

Lawyers strike work in Valley

SRINAGAR, Nov 23: Lawyers in Kashmir today boycotted courts in protest against a grenade attack on Bar president and senior counsel Mian Abdul Qayoom yesterday.

Meanwhile, the Kashmir Bar Association (KBA) has summoned an emergency meeting here to decide the future course of action in view of the assassination attempt on Mian Qayoom.

The bar condemned in strongest terms the grenade attack on its president and decided to strike work in all courts in protest.

Mian Qayoom escaped a bid on his life when unidentified men threw a grenade on his car near his residence here last evening.

Talking to UNI, Mian Qayoom said as he was driving past the Barzulla bridge near here at 1715 hrs last evening, two men standing there first threw a stone at him which hit his car.

The KBA president said he did not stop the car and soon after, one of the two men hurled a hand grenade at him.

"It just missed the car by a whisker...But I did not stop the vehicle there and continued to drive towards my residence at Bulbul Bagh near here," he added.

Mian Qayoom said it was definitely an attack on him.

However, the police was yet to confirm the incident.

The attack came barely hours after a Chandigarh Court yesterday granted bail to nine of the 14 accused in the sex scandal.

Those granted bail included two former Jammu and Kashmir Ministers and sitting legislators Ghulam Ahmed Mir and Raman Mattoo, sacked Additional Advocate General Anil Sethi and BSF DIG K C Padhi.

The KBA had strongly opposed the bail application of the sex racket accused when the case was heard in Srinagar.

The bar had also filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Jammu and Kashmir High Court which is monitoring the investigations into the case by the CBI. (UNI)

Teacher held for LeT links

Excelsior Correspondent

RAJOURI, Nov 23: Police tonight arrested a Government teacher from village Pangai in Thanna Mandi for his links with Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) outfit and involvement in grenade attacks.

Official sources said Choudhary Fazal Hussain, a teacher in Government Middle School, Pangai, was arrested tonight by a police party from a hide-out.

He was said to be in touch with his sister’s son, a militant operating from Pakistan and LeT ‘area commander’ Saifullah, operating in Thanna Mandi.

Sources said Fazal’s name had also surfaced in two grenade attacks in Pangai after which he had gone under-ground.

Fazal was being questioned, they added.

3 suicide bombers kill 145

BAGHDAD, Nov 23: In the deadliest attack since the beginning of the Iraq war, suspected Sunni-Arab militants used three suicide car bombs and two mortar rounds on the capital’s Shiite Sadr city slum to kill at least 145 people and wound 238 today, police said.

The Shiites responded almost immediately, firing 10 mortar rounds at the Abu Hanifa Sunni mosque as Azamiya, killing one person and wounding seven people in their attack on the holiest Sunni shrine in Baghdad.

Beginning at 3:10 p.m., the three car bomb attackers blew up their vehicles one after another, at 15 minute intervals, hitting Jamila market, Al-Hay market and Al-Shahidein Square in Sadr city. At about the same time, mortar rounds struck Al-Shahidein Square and Mudhaffar Square, police said.

As the fiery explosions sent up huge plumes of black smoke up over northeastern Baghdad, and left streets covered with burning bodies and blood, angry residents and armed Shiite militiamen flooded the streets, hurling curses at Sunni Muslims and firing weapons into the air.

Ambulances raced to the scenes and police Col Hassan Chaloub said at least 145 people killed and 238 wounded in the blasts, which destroyed many outdoor food stalls and parked automobiles and buses.

Sadr city is the home of the Mahdi army, the militia loyal to radical anti-American Shiite cleric Muqtada Al-Sadr.

Car bombs in Sadr City have killed and wounded hundreds of people.

Sectarian fighting also broke in another part of northern Iraq today, when 30 Sunni insurgents armed with machine guns and mortars attacked the Shiite-controlled Health Ministry building. After a three-hour battle, during which Iraqi soldiers and US military helicopters intervened, the attackers were repulsed. But at least seven guards of the ministry were wounded, said police 1st. Lt Maitham Abdul-Razaq.

The Sadr city and Health Ministry attacks were the latest example of widespread sectarian fighting involving Sunnis and Shiites that is leaving Iraq either on the verge of a civil war or already fighting one.

At about noon today, heavy clashes broke out between about suspected Sunni insurgent gunmen and guards at the Shiite-controlled Health Ministry building in northwest Baghdad, security officials said.

State-run Iraqiyah Television said the Health Ministry was being attacked with mortars by "terrorists who are intending to take control of the building."

Security officials said about 30 gunmen, believed to be Sunni insurgents, had launched the attack. Iraqi troops were being rushed to the area and all roads leading to the Ministry in Bab Al-Muadham neighbourhood were closed, said the security officials on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to reporters.

Police Lt Ali Muhsin said the attack began at 12:15 p.m. when three mortar shells hit the building, causing damage. After that, gunmen on the upper floors of surrounding buildings opened fire.

Ministry workers were trapped in the building.

"The gunmen fled as American helicopters and Iraqi armoured vehicles arrived. Employees were able to leave starting about 3:15 p.m.," Health Ministry spokesman Qassim Yehyah said.

Health Minister Ali Al-Shemari is a follower of Al-Sadr, the radical anti-American Shiite cleric.

Earlier today, US and Iraqi forces searching for a kidnapped American soldier also had swept through an area of Sadr city, killing four Iraqis, wounding eight and detaining five, police said.

The raid was the fourth in six days that coalition forces have raided Sadr city, which is home to the Mahdi army, the militia loyal to radical anti-American Shiite cleric Muqtada Al-Sadr.

The militia is suspected of having kidnapped US soldier Ahmed Qusai Al-Taayie, a 41-year-old Ann Arbor, Michigan, resident as he was visiting his Iraqi wife in Baghdad on Oct 23.

The Mahdi army also is suspected of having kidnapped scores of people during the raid on a Ministry of Higher Education office in Baghdad on Nov 14. The ministry is predominantly Sunni Arab.

In the raid on Sadr city at about 4:30 a.m., coalition forces searched houses and opened fire on a mini van carrying Iraqi workers in the Al-Fallah street area, killing four of them and wounding eight, said police Capt Mohammed Ismail. (AP)

Jammu-Srinagar NH re-opens

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 23: After a day’s blockade, Jammu-Srinagar national highway was restored for traffic this afternoon after landslides at Panthial near Banihal were cleared by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) personnel.

All stranded vehicles have been cleared from the highway, reports said.

Tomorrow passenger vehicles will be allowed on the highway from both sides. Load carriers will be allowed from Srinagar but not from Jammu, they added.

SC issues notices to Centre
J&K for white paper on Kashmiri Pandits

NEW DELHI, : The Supreme Court today issued notices to the Centre and the State of Jammu and Kashmir on a petition filed by all India Kashmiri Samaj seeking directions to the respondents to issue a white paper on the events in the strife-torn State.

The petitioners have also sought directions to the Government to consult Kashmiri Pandits and their representatives in all meetings concerning the Kashmir valley.

A bench comprising Justices K G Balakrishnan and D K Jain also directed the respondents to file status report about the steps taken to rehabilitate about 3.75 lakh members of the minority community.

Earlier the counsel for the petitioner contended before the court that the attitude of the Government towards Kashmiri Pandits showed colossal callousness as the Government did not care for them.

The petition contains more than a dozen prayers including issuance of directions to the State to treat Kashmiri Pandits as internally displaced citizens of the country and also to treat the sale of their properties as distress sale which should be adequately compensated.

Petitioners have also asked the court to expedite the trial of cases involving the murder of about 2000 prominent Kashmiri Pandits.

The petitioners have also demanded adequate compensation to the victims of militancy in the State. (UNI)

Opposition bid to repeal Article 370 foiled in RS

NEW DELHI, : A private member’s bill to repeal the Article 370 of the Constitution of India, according special status to Jammu and Kashmir, was rejected in the Rajya Sabha amid heavy protests from the treasury benches, saying such a bill had been negated twice in the past in the House.

The bill seeking to omit Article 370 of the Constitution was introduced by Mr Manohar Joshi of the Shiv Sena, which sparked off intense protests by Congress chief whip V Narayana Sami as he rose to speak.

BJP deputy leader Sushma Swaraj, supporting Mr Joshi, said the Legislative competence of Parliament could not be questioned at the introductory stage itself.

India is a secular country and Jammu and Kashmir has been accorded special status under the Constitution, though as a temporary provision, she added.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Suresh Pachauri rose to inform that on earlier two occasion on August 24, 1956 and July 30, 1993 the bill had been negated and hence, it could not be introduced in the House again for discussion.

Opposition benches insisted that the introduction of bill cannot be opposed at the introductory stage, and the chair refused to allow the introduction of the bill citing rulings in the constitution.

Treasury benches rejected the introduction of the bill by a voice vote and the opposition walked out of the House protesting the refusal to introduce the bill. (UNI)